@DG how so? Most likely it will be superseded by the next Xbox so unless MS are going to allow some sort of upgrade path (not likely) or make the X the base for next gen (possible given the idea of a "family" of devices) getting an X to future proof does not seem like a good idea.

Feature

Nexus Games of the Year 2018

A lot happened in 2018 in the gaming world, mostly good with some bad. Fortnite continued to skyrocket its way to becoming the most popular piece of fictional entertainment since Star Wars (I'm ashamed for that unfortunate but apt comparison), while Bethesda become the target of the entire gaming community following the unceremonious release of Fallout 76. However, a lot of good also happened in the gaming spectrum too. Rockstar finally released Red Dead Redemption 2, which went on to overshadow every other game released this year (but somehow missed the big mark at The Game Awards); God of War gave the god-slaying Kratos an equally vengeful son; Monster Hunter: World proved Capcom still has it in them to deliver pro-consumer greatness; and GRIS reignited the "video games as art" debate once again.

Today, we're here to celebrate our favourite video games of the year. I asked the Nexus Digital team to submit their picks for their Game of the Year, along with a Runner-Up. You'll come to find plenty of surprises and unique picks on this list, with some heavy-hitters notably absent - but that's the beauty of what we consider our favourite gaming experiences. Everyone has differentiating tastes, and we're here to highlight that. So without any more delays, let's get into it.

NOTE:This list comprises of games only released in 2018.

Andrew's Game of the YearGod of War

God of War released while I was out of country and, for the next two months, it was hard work avoiding media coverage and potential spoilers. As soon as I got home, I poured 35 hours into the game, exploring every nook and cranny of its Norse-inspired world, tackling every quest, while completing challenges and hunting for secrets. Is it perfect? No, but it felt damn close at the time and is one of the few games I continued to think about long after launch (and I’ve finally got time for another playthrough this holiday period!). At first, it felt like a massive departure from the original trilogy. However, once you grasp the intricacies of the new over-the-shoulder fighting mechanics and more grounded traversal options, the exploration, puzzles, and narrative begin to shine, eventually linking back to the previous trilogy, while setting the foundation for several games to come.

The interplay between Kratos and Atreus is what really kept me hooked. Atreus sheds his naivety, while Kratos struggles to avoid his past bubbling to the surface - desperate to stop Atreus making the same mistakes he did. It’s a compelling story back up by excellent writing, voice-acting, engaging gameplay, and some of the best visuals you’ll see on console this generation.

Runner-Up: Shadow of the Tomb Raider

I’m a huge fan of narrative in my games – providing context for my actions is essential – and I love the different story-telling mechanics that have emerged in video games. That said, in an era of hundred-page scripts, professional voice acting, full-motion capture, and cutscenes with direction comparable to blockbuster movies, some games forget what they are. Shadow of the Tomb Raider promised that we would see Lara reflect on her actions and “become the Tomb Raider” (again?), and this concept is tackled well enough at first, before settling back into the familiar “Chosen One” trope.

What Shadow of the Tomb Raider gets right, across its 20+ hour run-time, is an incredible sense of progression – you’ll never play for more than 30 minutes without participating in an impressive set piece, discovering new tombs to raid, collect enough resources to upgrade your favourite gear, or earn enough XP to expand your sprawling skill tree. Sure, it still has those annoying sequences that drop you into an arena and force you to shoot your way out, but the new traversal options (including claustrophobic swimming sections), expanded stealth mechanics, and renewed emphasis on puzzling kept me satisfied throughout.

Shelly's Game of the YearThe Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

While it was just a demo teaser for the upcoming first episode of Life is Strange 2, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit was a step back into the universe of decision-making drama. The plot follows the fantasy world of nine-year-old Chris Eriksen, who is dealing with loss of both his parents, one *spoiler* and the other *spoiler*. Watching what this little boy goes through in the hour and a bit of playtime pulls on every possible thread of heart muscle, and is a must if you are planning to continue into Life is Strange 2. Personally, I’m holding out till all the episodes are out. I like not having to wait months between them.

Runner-Up: Megaquarium

As a sucker for tycoon-style building games, I really enjoyed Megaquarium. This little indie title by Twice Circled had me captivated for hours, messing with my perfection planning OCD and occasionally bouncing around to the electronic style music. It certainly had me swimming with the fishes!

Rob's Game of the YearFrostpunk

To pinpoint a single game in 2018 as Game of the Year is a really tall order. 2018 has had some of the lowest points in the industry but it has been trebled by great moments and even better games. We all know of the biggest games, such as Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

However, I think my pick for Game of the Year 2018 would probably be Frostpunk. This little title from 11-bit studio is a post-apocalyptic city-building/survival simulator, that flew under everyone’s radar but was one of the most brutal and unforgiving titles. The whole point is to keep your city and citizens alive in the frozen wasteland that is Europe, but to do this you need make certain sacrifices. Not in the hum-drum way of “oh just one person”, sometimes you need to wipe out half the population, shortly after making child labour legal and refusing to bury dead bodies, for the city to survive. It is a morbid, frustrating experience but it was also one of the most satisfactory (sadism aside) in that it was a true challenge. Also, there is just something unquantifiable about it that left me reloading time and time again, no matter how I failed. That, for me, is what a Game of the Year is.

Runner-Up: Hunt: Showdown

The closes runner-up for me would be Hunt: Showdown. Another title that flew under the wire for most people, developed by Crytek using their proprietary engine. It launched with more bugs than there were in the game, but it is a horror-themed FPS whereby you and your partner are bounty hunters, and must not only survive the other creatures, but must capture the bounty (big, terrifying monster) and then still make it to extraction before other players killed you for the bounty you just got. It’s super intense, and now that most of the issues have been dealt with, it is a phenomenal title if you are looking for some good, co-operative fun that also scares the begeesus out of you.

Keegan's Game of the YearMonster Hunter: World

This was one of the hardest questions I think I have ever been asked. It’s like asking me to pick my favourite child, but nevertheless, I did. Monster Hunter: World came to be my Game of the Year because it reminded me exactly why I came into this profession in the first place. While God of War, Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2 offered fulfilling solo experiences, Monster Hunter: World brought my friends together in a way no other game has this year.

Nothing could beat exploring the vast, breathtaking lands of the New World together, all while simultaneously having to pick our jaws off of the floor due to seeing the gorgeous wildlife just fill a land begging to be discovered. From the amazing scenery, to the hard-fought battles that forced us to unite as one, Monster Hunter: World took me and my friends on a journey that we all wished we could forget - just so that we can play it all over again.

Runner-Up: Dragon Ball FighterZ

If you happened to be a 6-year-old Dragon Ball Z fan back in the day, there’s a high chance that you may have attempted going Super Saiyan in the shower at least once. Just me? Well, that brings me to my runner-up. Dragon Ball FighterZ encapsulated exactly what it meant to be a Dragon Ball character and so much more. The heavy, fast-paced action, being complimented by the bombastic-looking supers; FighterZ put me back into my 6-year-old self.

Vincent's Game of the YearDead Cells

Picking my Game of the Year for 2018 ended up being a monumental task. I mulled over the contenders for this prestigious title for days on end. With games like Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War and Dragon Quest XI to choose from, to name just a few. In order to make this easier, I decided to set one simple criterion for these games; did I, at any point in the game, grew tired of it, or any of its mechanics? Measuring the games to this standard proved to be a quick and efficient way to eliminate a whole bunch of games. So, without any delay, here are my picks for GOTY and runner-up.

My pick for Game of the Year has to be, without a doubt, Dead Cells. Fun, frantic, fantastic gameplay loop and drop-dead gorgeous pixel graphics made this game one for the ages.

Runner-Up: Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age claims the runner-up spot, and, to be completely honest, first place in my heart. The game teems with charm, great stories and awesome JRPG elements. It's just a great overall game.

It may be a very late competitor but boy did GRIS ever put up its hand and shout to be noticed. GRIS may be one of the most beautiful games I have ever had the pleasure of playing, with a water coloured world that slowly comes to life as you make your way through restoring it and working through the titular character's melancholy. With some solid puzzle platforming mechanics driving the gameplay forward, you will never find yourself disinterested or frustrated. If you play any indie game this year make sure to have GRIS right at the top of the potential list.

Runner-Up: Octopath Traveler

When the demo for Octopath Traveler first released, I quickly picked it up and found myself on a definite nostalgia trip as I made my way through the opening portions of the game. Months later when the full game released, I skipped on picking up the review so I could take my time with the title and found myself deeply rewarded. Octopath Traveler may not have the grand, all-encompassing story that you may have expected of the diverse cast but each tale was crafted lovingly and with all the care that was needed. Pair that with an updated combat system similar to Bravely Default's and you have an experience any JRPG fan should not miss out on.

Rico's Game of the YearMonster Hunter: World

So, I remember being excited for Monster Hunter: World quite a bit before it hit our shelves, and I remember being practically rabid for it about a week before launch (ed - I'm with you there). From the moment I started playing, I was pretty much hooked, and I had a whale of a time playing through this game with my friends (whom were all equally as addicted as I). The sense of exploration, the map design and just the overall experience left me feeling satisfied with the hundreds of hours I've poured into this game, and this is why it's getting Game of the Year from me. Heavy Bowgunner for life (ed - Dual Blades squad!).

Runner-Up: Dead Cells

Perhaps telling of what appears to be my penchant for masochism - I've decided to nominate Dead Cells as my runner-up for Game of the Year, specifically because of how bloody addictive it was. Every time I died, I would think "okay, one more run then we're off to bed" - and I would think this many, many times in a row until the sun suddenly came up. I found it to be an awesome, fast-paced game with a pretty interesting world to explore, and a game that compels me to keep throwing myself into the grinder because of how enjoyable it actually is does alright in my books.

Paul's Game of the YearThe Messenger

It’s been a strange year for me. There hasn’t been much that has come out this year to wow me, and a lot of the games that I did play and really enjoyed were all older titles being released on newer hardware like the Bayonetta Collection, YS VIII Lacrimosa of Dana, Battlechasers and many more. These could easily stand at the top of my best games played this year, however, my Game of the Year will have to go to The Messenger.

In a year where massive titles like God of War, Spider-Man and a new Tomb Raider released, it was this little 8/16 bit indie title that stole the top spot for me. It brought me back to the days of being a kid, sitting on the floor in front of the CRT TV just having fun and enjoying the game. This amazing little title is one that may have flown over most people’s heads but it’s a title that can stand with any of the big names in terms of gameplay, sound, controls and fun factor. It’s the full package that goes from 8 bit to 16 bit graphics as you travel through various areas, and the game eventually evolves into a massive exploration map connecting areas within each other. It looks gorgeous and plays well; quirky characters also round out the game that had me smirking and laughing on occasions. The Messenger comes highly recommended, and will be receiving a free expansion in 2019 to give us even more content.

Runner-Up: SoulCalibur VI

Yes, that’s right. A fighting game on a Game of the Year list; it rarely happens outside of the specific genre rewards. SoulCalibur VI brought it back to the start, retelling the story and giving us further insight into the characters and their parts in the tale. With 2 lengthy story modes, the game had plenty of offline content for players to dive into. The combat is also the best it has ever been, with responsive controls, fun battle mechanics and great looking characters. A character creation mode evens out the character selection for those that may not find one to their liking. Overall, it’s a fantastic fighter with great online performance that is sure to keep players interested well into 2019. Not to mention the best new character of this console generation has just recently released: none other than 2B from Nier: Automata. That is reason enough to buy the game.

Lois' Game of the YearMarvel's Spider-Man

This may seem biased but that's okay because for me personally, Marvel's Spider-Man really was the best game I've played in a long time. Script, voice acting, art direction, game mechanics (oh sweet, sweet game mechanics) and an impressive musical score makes it (*kisses Italian shaped hand*) perfect.

Runner-Up: God of War

Thwipping to the runner-up, I'm going to go for God of War. I haven't actually finished it (for shame) but I can already tell it's a special one. The PS4 exclusives this year have all dominated the scene and that just means more demand for higher standards in the industry... if Xbox wants to compete, so I'm perfectly okay with that.

Side note: I foresee The Last of Us: Part II being my Game of the Year for 2019. Watch this space.

Sam's Game of the YearMonster Hunter: World

When looking for my Game of the Year, I took several things into account. Did it tell an amazing story? Did the gameplay satisfy me, even after dozens of hours? Did the concept of the game stand out from the rest? A few games managed to hit those markers for me this year, from the likes of God of War to Assassin's Creed Odyssey. However, as a huge supporter of single-player games, one title this year made me fall in love with multiplayer: Monster Hunter: World.

Monster Hunter: World managed to tick all of those boxes, but also exceed them in many regards. The combat is fantastic, the variety of monsters here is staggering, and the addictive gameplay loop caused me to inadvertently sink over 200 hours into this beast - and I would gladly sink 200 more without hesitation. Capcom have done a phenomenal job supporting the game with free updates, and remains a pro-consumer standard that many other publishers should aspire to (shocking coming from Capcom, but I have to give credit where it's due). Most of all, Monster Hunter: World brought my friends and I together in many ways; we fought, we laughed, we cried, but we came together and triumphed a pretty damning challenge. Very few games this decade continue to give me an absolute adrenaline rush quite like this title; Capcom's proud magnum opus.

Runner-Up: Tetris Effect

Please put down your pitchforks and torches, and allow me to explain. Everyone I've talked to about Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Tetris Effect all had the same, if not similar, responses: "but it's just Tetris. Why are you so excited?" To that, the only thing I could realistically tell people to do is play the game. Tetris Effect cannot be explained in words - which resulted in a particularly difficult review to write - but it speaks for itself when you see it in action. Taking the simple gameplay mechanics of Tetris, Tetris Effect effortlessly splices it with synchronized, catchy techno/dance music, psychedelic visuals that transports players to all corners of the universe (from Earth's oceans and deserts to the moon and, I kid you not, a spiritual level of Nirvana). Best experienced in a dark room with headphones on, I recommend you just let the game take you on a journey unlike any other this year.

Tex's Game of the Year:God of War, Runner-Up:Assassin's Creed OdysseyTrevor's Game of the Year:God of War, Runner-Up:Forza Horizon 4Cleo's Game of the Year:Call of Cthulhu, Runner-Up:Far Cry 5

There you have it! Nexus' top picks for Game of the Year (and Runner-Ups)! If you enjoyed the article, please leave a like and make sure you comment down below what your favourite games of the year were. From the Nexus team to you, we wish you a happy holidays and a fantastic New Year! Here's hoping 2019 brings us more excitement in the world of gaming.

There are 3 comments

Some incredible games this year! Have to say, Shadow of the Tomb raider isn't getting the attention it deserves , Such an outstanding game but then again, there have been many of those this year... its hard to stand out from the rather crowded AAA releases in 2018. I'm positive 2019 is going to be just as Jam packed with epic releases!